Extra weight — especially around the waist — can lead to serious health issues. See what these problems are and what you can do to prevent them.
Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
What Is Obese?
Obesity is considered a chronic, progressive, and relapsing condition that is treatable. More than 40% of U.S. adults face this chronic condition. Obesity is generally defined by BMI (body mass index): 30 and higher is considered obese. The excess weight, especially as body fat can lead to health and wellness issues. Shedding pounds may prevent, slow, or even reverse many of them.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
When fat builds up in the cells of your liver, it can damage the liver and then may lead to scarring (a condition known as cirrhosis) that can eventually shut your liver down completely. Symptoms may not appear until the damage is done. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes fatty liver disease, but one risk factor is that you’re more likely to have problems when you’re overweight. This damage is 2-3 times higher in people that have obesity. But early diagnosis and treatments are available to help reverse this.
Osteoarthritis
Excess weight puts more strain on your joints and on the cartilage that protects the ends of your bones, causing pain and stiffness. More body fat also triggers more inflammation. Just losing 5% of your body weight will take pressure off of your hips, lower back, and knees. (That’s dropping from 200 pounds to 190.) Exercise is one of the best things you can do for arthritis. Talk to your doctor about what kind and how much is right for you.
High Cholesterol
While your genes have some influence, what you eat and how much you exercise also play a role. Unhealthy foods can raise your weight and your “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease which kills about 700,000 people every year in the US. Foods with soluble fiber — like oats and other whole grains, beans, apples, grapes, strawberries, eggplant, and okra — will help get your cholesterol down as well as fill you up so you eat fewer calories.
Type 2 Diabetes
Belly fat is linked to insulin resistance. That’s when your body makes insulin, but your cells can’t use it properly to get glucose out of your blood. People affected by obesity are about 10 times more likely to have high blood sugar. About 9 out of 10 people who get type 2 diabetes are overweight. There’s no cure for diabetes once you have it, but losing weight can help lower your blood glucose levels and that can help prevent complications from diabetes.
Gout
Built-up uric acid in your body can form needle-like crystals that make joints like your big toe, ankle, or knee hurt. The likelihood of a flare goes up with the number on the scale and may also be linked to insulin resistance. A weight loss program is part of managing gout in people with obesity. A heart-healthy diet and exercise habits may help lower the level of uric acid as well as your weight.
High Blood Pressure
Being obese means your heart has to pump harder to get blood to all of your cells and puts a strain on your heart. That force pushes on your artery walls and may be damaging them, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke. About three out of four patients with high blood pressure have obesity. Your doctor will probably recommend that you exercise 20-30 minutes most days, limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day, and don’t smoke. Even losing 10 pounds can decrease your blood pressure.
Hardened Arteries
Obesity — and diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation related to it — can wear on your arteries, turning them thick and stiff. This combination of conditions is sometimes called the metabolic syndrome and can be treated. Narrow vessels can’t get enough blood to the cells in your organs and tissues. Although you may not have any symptoms at first, this poor circulation may eventually lead to a heart attack, heart failure, or a stroke.
Kidney Disease
High blood pressure and Diabetes are the two biggest causes of kidney disease. Your kidneys filter blood and help control your blood pressure. But they can’t do their jobs when they are damaged due to obesity-related conditions. That can lead to a dangerous buildup of waste in your body.
Sleep Apnea
A higher BMI can be a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, narrowing of your airway during sleep, making it harder to breathe at night. You might snore loudly or stop breathing for several seconds over and over. When that happens, you aren’t getting the restful sleep you need. It can make you tired and groggy and lead to mood, memory, and heart problems such as atrial fibrillation.
Pregnancy Issues
Moms-to-be who are overweight are more likely to get gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, dangerously high blood pressure that can harm both you and your baby. There’s a greater chance that you’ll need a C-section to give birth and that your baby could be born too soon, be stillborn, or have brain or spinal cord problems. Work with your doctor to manage your weight safely when you’re pregnant.
Cancer
When you gain weight as an adult, whether or not it makes you obese, you’re more likely to get some cancers, including breast, colorectal, endometrial, and kidney. It might be because fat cells make hormones that change how cells grow. Or it might be that habits that lead to weight gain are similar to those that lead to cancer. Eat healthy and stay active to help avoid cancer, regardless of your weight.